A Healer's Touch
by blancnoire
Summary: When the bifrost bridge is destroyed and Loki falls into nothingness, he lands - quite hard - on the realm of Heilenheim, the middle world in between all nine realms. Allaysia is ordered by her king to heal this Asgardian man, despite her wishes to do otherwise. Loki/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Didn't know I had to do this...but here's the disclaimer so I don't get my ass sued off: ****I don't own Loki, or anyone/anything from the Avengers/Thor/Marvel Brothers stories. I do take credit for Heilenheim and its people. That good?  
**

* * *

"Stop being a coward and open your eyes." Allaysia mocked the Asgardian man lying on her bed. Pompous, pretentious cowards, the lot of them. She sat down on the bedside chair and waited for him to man up and face his injuries.

Sure he had broken most of the bones in his body, falling out of the sky like that. But she had seen worse injuries and those people had toughened it out and survived. No reason that he can't open his eyes and regain some sense of consciousness.

His eyelids fluttered at her voice, and she couldn't help but notice his ridiculously long lashes. _Hmph_, leave it to the Asgardian men to have such feminine features.

His eyes opened and two pools of hazy green appeared, like emeralds covered in a fine layer of dust. Probably just disorientation of waking up from four days of coma-like sleep.

Yep, soon enough, his eyes cleared into sharp green, staring at her. Allaysia could see the brain behind those eyes beginning to whirl and assess the situation. Decide on her use and worth.

"Before you try to kill me or whatever it is you're thinking, why don't you eat first." Allaysia brought the bowl she had been holding closer to his head. Well, she supposed it was less accurate to say _eat_ since the bowl only contained nourishing liquids. His stomach was not ready for solid substance yet.

"Where," he croaked, "where am I?"

"Ah, good question. Why don't you eat like a nice boy and I'll tell you what you want to know." She spooned some of the soupy substance and placed it near his mouth.

She sighed as the Asgardian glared at her. Without opening his mouth.

It wasn't as if she desperately wanted to feed him. If she wasn't under the orders of her king to bring him back to health, Allaysia wouldn't give a damn about an Asgardian man. Even her regular patients didn't get this kind of _personal care_.

"My arm is getting tired. If you'd rather die than eat, then that's fine by me." She made a move to withdraw the spoon.

"Wait." He opened his mouth.

"See, it didn't have to be so difficult."

She placed the liquid in his mouth, laughing on the inside at his grim, guarded expression. The laughter bubbled out into a choked cough as his face opened in surprise, probably at the rather delicious taste of the soupy liquid. She bet he had expected it to be horrible, or even better, it to be poison. Of course the nourishing liquid was good. The little princes and princesses had damn made sure of that during their sick days by requesting the nectar of honeysuckles to be added. And she had never broken that habit.

Allaysia fed him two more spoonfuls before speaking again. "You are in the realm of Heilenheim, the world at the intersection of the nine realms. I do not know how to you got here, except for the fact that you arrived by falling out of the sky. And broke most of your bones doing that."

She raised a brow at him, but didn't pause in her feeding. "If I may give my advice, such a method of arrival is not very...healthy. I suggest you find another, less _impactful_ way."

The Asgardian scowled. "I did not choose to come here. The bifrost bridge was destroyed and I fell from it. I had expected to fall into nothingness." His voice is stronger now, beginning to sound low and smooth.

So the bifrost bridge, the main asset of Asgard, was destroyed. _Interesting_.

Allaysia mentally filed that information away before continuing. "Well, the king has decided that as a sign of good manner and relations, Heilenheim would restore you to health and send you back to your home, Asgard."

"Asgard is not my home." Cold and emotionless statement. Which usually meant that there was much emotions behind it, most likely pain or anger or sadness._ Oh, my my._

"Well, that would be a problem." But not her problem. Allaysia shrugged and scooped the last bit of liquid into his mouth.

She wiped his mouth perfunctorily and left without another word. For all she cared, her task - feed him and inform him as the king had ordered - was complete. For now.

"Wait!" He called out before she left the door. "What's your name?"

"Allaysia." She didn't even turn around or stop to ask for his name. There was no need to know the name of an Asgardian man.

* * *

"How is he doing?" A kind but authoritative voice asked from behind the big chair. The voice of a king.

Allaysia stood respectfully with her head lowered. "Your Majesty, the Asgardian man woke up today and was given some nourishing liquid. He says Asgard's bifrost bridge is destroyed and he had fallen from it. He also states that Asgard is no longer his home."

A soft sigh drifted over as the King of Heilenheim stood up and walked around the chair towards Allaysia. He was surprisingly young, only a few years older than her.

"Al, we grew up together. Do you have to be so formal?" He stepped close, arms held up to enclose her in a hug.

Allaysia stepped back, eyes still lowered. "Your Majesty, please."

Another sigh, he didn't attempt to move closer this time but instead returned to business at hand.

"How long will it take for him to be healed?"

"At least a month. His bones need time to reknit and his body to recover. The process cannot be rushed. However, it will not be longer than two months. I will make sure of it." Allaysia had no interest in keeping the Asgardian longer than necessary. In fact, she felt the opposite.

The young king looked at her with weariness and sadness in his eyes, but her gaze was lowered so she couldn't see. He waited but she didn't, _wouldn't_, look up.

Stifling yet another sigh, he gave a dismissive gesture, not knowing if it was meant for her to go or for himself to give up. "You may go."

"Good night, Your Majesty." Allaysia bowed properly before leaving without a backward glance. She kept her face straight all the way until she reached her house at the edge of the palace. Her calm eyes belied the emotional turmoil filled with regret and sadness that always swirled after a meeting with young king.

She busied herself with collecting the dried herbs and grinding the ones that cannot be stored. Suddenly, a frisson of awareness caused her to stop and look around.

"Dear Allaysia, you look upset." A silky smooth voice sounded to her left. A voice that belonged to someone who should not have been able to move, lest get out of bed and walk into the herb room.

After the initial jump of shock, she didn't even turn to look at the Asgardian and continued to grind the herbs. "You're not real."

"Oh? Are you so upset as to think yourself to be hallucinating?"

Allaysia could _hear_ him raising his eyebrows mockingly. A smirk flitted across her lips.

"You are so broken that even movement is not possible. Hence this image of you here, is definitely not real. You're probably using magic of some sort to create a double."

Suddenly she felt a body behind her back. Two lean arms snaked around and wrapped themselves around her waist.

The Asgardian whispered intimately in her ear, "I think your body can tell if I'm a mere image or a real man."

Her muscles tensed in defense upon initial contact, but now Allaysia leaned back against the Asgardian. She tiled her head up so he could see her face. See her condescending smile. "You don't have a heartbeat. Are you real?"

To her amusement, his green eyes stormed over and his face twisted into an expression more appropriate for a petulant child. She straightened up and focused back on her herbs, though not before adding, "I suggest you return to your body on the bed. Save the energy to heal your real body and not over-exert by projecting false ones."

He tightened his grip on her waist, but she could feel those lean arms fading in _substance_. "You care for my health. I'm touched."

She laughed, a harsh sound without merriment. "I care for the hours, medicine, and space that I am wasting because of you. If you do not stay in bed and focus yourself on healing your body, then I suppose I shall have to drug you. It'll take longer, but at least I won't have to fight you over it."

He answered by disappearing.

Allaysia finished grinding herbs without haste and left the room. The walls still faintly echoed her mocking laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

"Still can't move, Asgardian?" Mocking.

"I have already said, my name is Loki." Frustration.

"Weaklings, all of you." Dislike.

"And you are not a very caring healer." Anger

"When to an Asgardian." Hatred.

"I am not an Asgardian. And my name is Loki." Bitterness followed by exasperation.

Exchanges like this often sparked between Allaysia and her Asgardian patient during the few weeks in which he stayed obediently confined to bed and slowly healed. She couldn't help but taunt him, refusing to acknowledge him by name. It wasn't like her, really, to be this acerbic but his identity evoked so many painful memories that she couldn't help but lash out in defense.

After the first week, Loki was able to sit up on the bed. Second week, he could get off the bed and walk around the room once a day. Third week, he was finally able to leave the house for brief periods.

"Get your hands off of me." Allaysia resisted the urge to throw the Asgardian over her shoulder. His bones are still fragile around the healing fractures and a move like that would undo all the work of the past few weeks.

For some reason, once he was able to move around, the Asgardian developed an unnerving habit of touching her. No, touching is too light of a term. Whenever she was standing, whether it be preparing medicine bags or cooking, he would hug from behind like the way his illusion did the first day he regained consciousness.

She could not physically shove him away because it would regress his injuries and cause him to stay longer in her care. _Even worse_. Thus she had to wait in his arms, because after a few moments of staring at whatever she was doing at the time, he would eventually let go and wander slowly elsewhere.

Allaysia was beginning to think him to be mentally unstable when she suddenly noticed a few medicine bags missing. And some herbs. And a few other little things.

_Huh_. So he was distracting her attention with the body contact while stealing some things. For what? To bribe others?

She laughed at the idea. In Heilenheim, healing was free. Healers were expected to give out their service and goods to the needy. Thus the things he stole had little value because the people could get it themselves anyways at no cost.

Eventually, he got the message and things stopped disappearing.

But he didn't stop touching her.

Allaysia thought about mentioning this strange habit to the king, but something instinctive stopped her. There really was no harm except for few moments of discomfort on her part. When his bones are strong enough, however, she is not going to hold back on the over-the-shoulder throw.

The Asgardian had also taken to hover around her all the time. Being the resourceful healer that she was, Allaysia decided to put him into good use. Want not, waste not.

"Go collect and sort the dried herbs." She demanded.

"Grind these, but clean the mortar in between as to not mix them." She commanded.

"Keep watch over the fire. Make sure the medicine doesn't boil over." She ordered.

At first he seemed to be surprised and resistant at first but soon grew use to being ordered around. Habits were scary things.

* * *

"Allaysia, I -" The king walked into the healer's herb room and stopped in mid-sentence and mid-stride.

Allaysia and Loki turned to look at him, Loki's arms around her waist and his body pressed against hers.

_Well, this is awkward_. She sighed inwardly and pushed the Asgardian to free herself. She tried hard to not look at the storm brewing in the young king's eyes and the tight lines around his mouth.

Allaysia glanced up in surprise when Loki didn't budge. In fact, he tightened the grip and pulled her closer, all the while staring straight at the king without a slight mischievous smirk.

Her eyes narrowed. A corner of her mouth lifted rather mockingly. Before anyone could react, she had grabbed the Asgardian's shoulder and arm, and with an expert twist of her body, thrown the man over her shoulder to the ground. He landed with a hard, audible thump.

Loki groaned in pain, glaring at her with anger. Something identifiable flashed in his eyes before he lowered his lids and stood up awkwardly.

"Ahem." The king tried his best to hide a smile, all traces of the former tension running through his body gone. "I do believe we haven't met yet. I am Tauristrander, King of Heilenheim."

"Loki," The Asgardian hesitated before continuing, "Odinson. Son of Odin Allfather, the King of Asgard."

_A prince of Asgard_. Both Allaysia and the Tauristrander looked at each other before turning their eyes back on Loki, re-evaluating him under this new identity.

"It is an honor to have you here, Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard. We rarely get visitors from the other realms." The king held out his hand with what appeared to be genuine welcome.

Loki shook his hands very briefly then turned his simmering gaze back to Allaysia. "May we talk? In private." He looked pointedly at Tauristrander.

"Actually, I would like to take a few moments of Allaysia's time to discuss some matters with her. In private, if you would be so kind." The young king gracefully intercepted before Allaysia could respond.

"Of course." Allaysia gave a slight bow and stood attention near the king, completely ignoring Loki's stare that was boring into her.

After a few rather tense heartbeats, Loki stalked - there was no other word for it - from the room.

Silence briefly ensued upon his exit, but Tauristrander broke it with a calm "Would you care to explain what I saw earlier, Allaysia?"

Allaysia tensed her body, knowing that Tauristrander was very serious or very angry whenever he called her by her full name in private. In her distracted state, she did not notice the frisson of awareness that warned her of magic in the air.

"Your Majesty, it is a strange habit of the Asgardian to do this whenever I am standing. At first, he seemed to be doing so to distract me from noticing him filching my medicine bags and herbs, but the stealing has stopped while this habit has not. I had not want to injure him, therefore prolonging his stay in my care, at first. However, it seemed like he has mostly healed by now."

The young king stared at her with deep frown for a long while before finally opening his mouth. "If he is healed, then perhaps it is better if he moves out of your house and into the palace. It is still improper for two unwed man and woman to live under the same roof by themselves, even if one is a healer."

The air seemed to shimmer and crack to her left, but Allaysia still didn't notice because of her joy at the king's words. She was finally rid of this Asgardian burden.

"I am grateful of your considerations, Your Majesty. It has been my honor to serve the crown." She bowed once more before taking leave.

"Wait," Tauristrander held up a hand. "Mother is holding a feast tonight to celebrate little Seninya's maturation. Would you come?" He asked almost hesitantly, as if worried that too strong of an approach would incur a rejection.

Allaysia considered it over and responded with a smile, "Of course, I would not miss Seninya's big night for anything."

"Good," The king breathed out a sigh of relieve then quickly turned towards the door. "I will get going then. See you tonight, Al." He strode out in a rather quick pace, leaving Allaysia wondering why his ears were pink at the end.

Turning back to the table where she was assembling a pack of medicine for a traveler, Allaysia didn't see Loki standing outside the room, partially hidden by the door frame.

_Moving out, huh. We shall see about that. Tonight indeed will be a big night._


	3. Chapter 3

"Al!" A high-pitched screech abused Allaysia's ear drums when she walked into the palaces great hall.

She laughed and caught the young girl flying into her. "Sen, stop screaming like that or else you will never find a man. Especially now that you are available for courtship."

The young girl, Seninya, wrinkled her nose. "I don't want a man. You don't have a man and you're still the best Healer in Heilenheim. I don't need one either."

Allaysia laughed again because she couldn't think of an appropriate response. Instead, she adjusted the young girl's headdress. "Tonight is your big night, Sen. Are you ready?"

"It's just a little pain that every Heilen has to go through. I, soon to be a full warrior, will be fine." Seninya rolled her eyes and tried to laugh if off, but Allaysia could detect the note of nervousness underneath her brash attitude.

Allaysia just patted the young girl's shoulder and let her fly to greet another friend. After tonight, Seninya would move out of childhood into being a woman. Allaysia could still remember the young girl as a child, crying for more nectar of honeysuckle in her nourishing liquid...

"Don't think too much about it or you shall feel much older than you really are." A pleasant voice sounded to Allaysia's right. Tauristrander had moved close without her noticing.

"Your Majesty." Allaysia began to bow, but he caught hold of her arm before she could finish the form. She looked up and was caught by those familiar soft, gray eyes looking imploringly into her own golden ones.

"Come on, Al. We are surrounded by just family and friends to celebrate Sen's initiation into womanhood. Can't we forgo the formalities tonight? Just one night?"

She sighed, giving in. "For tonight, Your -" Allaysia hastened to correct herself when his eyebrows shot up. "Tauri."

Tauristrander's face broke out into a big smile. His arm went around her shoulders good-naturedly and dragged her to the long dinning table, burdened to the point of breaking with food.

As the king, of course, Tauristrander took the seat at the head of the table. Seninya, being the focus of tonight, sat at the other end. The old queen, Tauristrander's mother, sat at his right. To Allaysia's discomfort, Tauristrander placed her at his immediate left, the spot that would have been for his wife had he been married.

She had quietly argued to change her seating, mindful of the whisperings and knowing smiles of the other guests. But he would not allow it and ultimately had to order her as her king to sit.

Allaysia sat, but not without resignation and apprehension at the gossip that would spread like wildfire tomorrow. It would evolve into a hundred different versions by the end of the day.

The evening passed in pleasant revelry that had quickly turned into drunken revelry.

Allaysia was able to push back, if not quite forget, Tauristrander's title and enjoy the attention of an affectionate man. They joked, laughed, and danced with each other like the way they did when they were young.

* * *

Time passed away far too quickly for anyone's taste. Midnight struck and the Seninya's tittering laughter echoed in the dark night.

She looked around at the quiet, expectant faces, and sighed. "It's time, isn't it." Less of a question than a resignation of fact. She stood up and walked inside, accompanied by two women of her family. A chamber had been prepared for her inside those hallways.

The departure of Seninya marked the end of tonight's celebration. The guests all congratulated Seninya's mother, the old queen, of another beautiful daughter eligible for marriage and parted in good humor.

Allaysia waved off any offer of company, especially from Tauristrander himself, on her way home. She need the solitude to walk off the effects of the drinks and rebuild the wall between the king and herself.

Strolling leisurely, she tilted her head and gaze up at the night sky, breathtaking as always in the brilliantly hued swathes of veins of the World Tree and the sparkling fruits of other worlds and realms. On a cloudless night like this, she didn't even need a lantern to see her surroundings, bathed in the glorious heavenly lights.

Her mind suddenly wandered in an unexpected direction, as she studied the stars above her. _Was Asgard one of them? Or was it too far to be seen here? Did one of those veins lead to that bright, idealized realm with its golden clad warriors? _

_But it couldn't have been so perfect. Else why would the fallen Asgardian man cast it aside with bitterness? How did he fall off the bifrost bridge? Did none of his honorable fellow Asgardians save him, for when the bifrost bridge was borken, there must have been others? What must have he done to deserve so? What must have he suffered to break ties with all of his brothers and sisters?_

Startled by the turn of her thoughts, Allaysia quickly shook her head, not knowing if it was to shake away these uncharacteristic thoughts or the images of Loki curled around wrangled bedsheets, murmuring "I could have, Father. I could have done it." Even in sleep, his face was twisted with anger, pain, and a despairing sadness that had caused her to frown and stumble out of the room hastily.

Allaysia had crept into Loki's chamber a few more nights afterwards, feeling more foolish each time but could not hold herself back from opening that door. Each visit lasted only twenty or so heartbeats before she rushed out of the room, quickly but silently closing the door behind her, as Loki's pained expression etched itself deeper in her mind.

She could not, _should not_, feel anything but resentment or hatred for the Asgardian. Definitely not pity, or…

Her thoughts were broken as Allaysia reached her house. She took a deep breath of the chilling night air before opening the door. In the hallway, Allaysia only faltered briefly in front of Loki's doors before resuming her pace. A few steps farther, however, she heard a low groan of pain from the room she just passed.

Allaysia paused with a slight frown, waiting and hesitating. Perhaps the Asgardian was just having another one of his nightmares.

Another moan, muffled by the closed door, reached her ears. Allaysia gave an inaudible sigh and doubled back.

The first thing that hit her when she opened the door was that it was freezing. Heilenheim nights are very cold, but a furnace usually kept the room nicely temperate. A glance at the dark furnace showed the fire inside to be out. _Strange, as one of the few magics allowed, the fire was suppose to be never go out._

Her frown deepened when she saw Loki trembling on the bed, the sheets wrapped tightly around him. Sweat beaded on his forehead and drenched the sheets, and yet he was shivering.

She hurried over, hand out to test his forehead. It was wet and sticky from the sweat, but most important, it was cold, almost as cold as the room.

_Shit. How did he catch a Chameleon Fever while she was gone? It was but a mere few hours in between. _Her brows could not furrow further.

Unlike an average Hot Fever where his body temperature would remain hot even when his mind cycled through the hot-cold phases, a Chameleon Fever would adjust his actual body temperature to whichever temperature extreme he _thought_ he felt. It was much more lethal than a Hot Fever simply for the fact that his body would not be able take the extreme changes in temperature.

Then she thought of the body throw she had executed this afternoon. _Could she have overestimated his healing progress? If his bones were not yet set, then the throw would have caused hairline fractures. His body might have been too busy healing the bones to fight off the Chameleon. _

Allaysia sat on the bed and firmly shook Loki until he opened his eyes, glassy green stones that had lost their brilliant focus. "Look at me, Asgardian. What happened? How did you become so sick? Where did you catch this Chameleon?"

His eyes focused briefly on her before sliding away again. He shivered violently. "Cold. It's so cold, Allaysia." Muttering and shaking, he shifted closer to her, the only source of heat in the room.

She tried to get up to find her medicine and rekindle the furnace fire, but Loki had both arms wrapped around her waist and wouldn't let go. His grip was strangely strong for someone in a feverish, weakened state.

"Asgardian." Allaysia turned his face with both hands so he could look at her, but his eyes wouldn't focus. She hesitated. "Loki." The name rolled off of her tongue easier than she had expected.

Loki's eyes flickered at the sound of his name.

"Loki." It was easier the second time around. "Let go of me. I need to get medicine for you." She said it slowly and clearly, hoping to reach his fever-clouded mind.

His eyes had focused when she called his name again. His face broke into a weak smile. "Allaysia dear," his teeth chattered slightly as he whispered her name. "I'm cold. Really cold." He held on tighter, even curling his body around her to gain more warmth.

A look at his bare chest showed Allaysia that Loki had already gone through a hot phase, in which he had taken off his clothing in an attempt to cool his burning body.

_This is not good._ It was the most dangerous after the first hot-cold cycle. If he didn't receive treatment before the second cycle started, his mind would not be able to take another heat wave. He would turn crazy and eventually die.

Allaysia attempted to no avail at prying apart Loki's arms. Conflict warred in her golden eyes before resignation shone through.

Turning in his arms so that she could face him more directly, Allaysia placed one hand on Loki's temple and the other on his chest, where his heart would be. She took a deep breath and focused deep inside of herself, calling up the Healing power she had been bestowed upon birth.

A coldness slowly traveled up her hand to her arm and eventually to the rest of her body. The Healing power was really nothing more than a transfer of some pains from the sufferer to the Healer, easing the burden on the body so it would not break first before it had a chance to heal.

Allaysia shivered violently as her heart clenched at the drop in body temperature. Loki gave a small sigh of relief as his body temperature rose. Soon the two huddled close together to share what little body heat they could combine, Allaysia now completely enclosed in Loki's arms.

In the recess of Allaysia's mind, intact from the coldness and the concentration, reminded her of the hard part that was yet to come. She could feel both of their bodies begin to warm up.

She brought her face close to Loki's and whispered, for that was all she could manage without her teeth chattering, "Loki, I need you to listen to me."

His eyes opened with more clarity than before, although still clouded by a feverish veil.

"Your body will become hot soon. You cannot push me away when that happens. If the Healing is broken before completion, both of us will die."

A corner of his mouth lifted in a small smirk as Loki moved his head even closer, bringing them nose to nose. His emerald eyes stared deep into her topaz ones as their breaths mingled. "I knew you cared very much for me, Allaysia dear." The intimate, almost seductive, mood was ruin by the hoarse rasp instead of his usual silky smooth low voice.

Allaysia fought the hysteric urge to laugh. Instead she pressed with her hands on their point of contact, reminding him of her warning.

Loki tightened his arms, bringing her body closer, as his head lowered to rest on her shoulder. One of her hand was trapped between their bodies and the other between the side of her neck and his head.

"I will not let go of you, the person who will be keeping me alive." He promised softly.

Allaysia frowned slight at his strange wording, but her mind was quickly taken by the burning heat inside her body as the hot phase swung into full force. She felt Loki's muscles tense and his body burn, but she couldn't see his face from this position.

Thus, she didn't see the scheming gleam in his eyes or the twist of his mouth that nothing to do with fever. _Of course he wouldn't let go of her, Allaysia dear. Who else would help him in his revenge?_


	4. Chapter 4

The morning sun shone boldly through the window, casting its light upon the intertwined figures on the bed. The room smelled of sweat. The only sounds came from deep breathing from two sleeping forms.

Allaysia was first to wake, disoriented and groggy. She tried to get up but found movement impossible. Loki's arms around her waist combined with her numb hands at his chest and temple called back last night's events in a flash. The Healing had drained her of strength and she had fallen asleep when Loki's fever finally broke.

Massaging her arms and hands to improve circulation, Allaysia found herself staring into brilliant, twin emeralds.

She blinked.

Loki's face broke into a charming grin.

A thought popped into her head out of nowhere. _This is the awkward, morning-after moment._ She quickly discarded that non-applicable scenario. She was Healing him last night, not...being intimate with him.

"Looks like you spent the night in my bed, Allaysia dear." Loki freed her from his arms and stretched lazily next to her.

Allaysia stiffly got off the bed, wincing at the needle pain shooting through her arms to her hands. Absently rubbing her arms and hands, she stood by the bed and stared at Loki with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Do not think yourself completely recovered. The Chameleon is a tricky illness and may come back after a day's respite. You may still be contagious. Do not leave this room." She said all this in a rather stiff and formal tone before abruptly leaving the room.

_I will _not_ acknowledge his...his _improper _remark! I had saved his life, dammit. Show some respect!_

Her reaction to Loki's racy greeting had been controlled but indignant, and a little flustered had Allaysia been willing to admit to herself. She could feel the heat on her face as the door swung close behind her. But not in time to shut out Loki's amused laughter. The heat moved to the tip of her ears.

* * *

"Al, a room has been prepared for our Asgardian guest in the palace. He shall be moved today." Tauristrander strode into the Healer's herb room, only to find it deserted. His eyes widened in surprise and puzzlement. _Al was usually in here at this time of the day._

Before he could call out again, however, Allaysia walked up behind him. "Your Majesty." She bowed and looked up into concerned gray eyes.

"Al, you look terrible! What happened?" The king moved closer and held up her face with both hands, examining the dark circles around her eyes, pinched features, and sallow skin color.

_Always a confidence booster, Tauri was._ Allaysia thought wryly, but her response was deferential, "I had to Heal the Asgardian of a Chameleon Fever last night and had just risen. I do apologize for my appearance."

She had looked briefly in the reflective glass as she gave herself a quick wash, so she really couldn't blame the king for looking so shocked. But it still stung a little.

"You had to Heal him? Was it that bad? Couldn't you have used saberbane?" Tauristrander sat her down on a nearby chair.

Allaysia didn't protest as she could barely stand up herself. Fatigue was filling her mind and body with lead. She had only slept for an hour or so after dawn broke, when Loki's fever cycles had finally subsided.

Healing took a heavy physical toll on the Healer. Had she the strength at the time to even crawl out the bed, she would have dragged herself to her own bed. Not to mention she had to first pry open those lean, unusually strong arms.

"You Majesty, I also wish that I had used saberbane, had I been able to obtain it last night in a timely manner." Allaysia tried to keep the bite out of her response.

With Loki's death grip on her last night, she would have had to waited until the start of the hot cycle, when Loki loosened his arms to go get saberbane. The herb that would have driven off the Chameleon. But the administration would then have been too late.

"Is he well now?" A wise king, Tauristrander didn't dwell on the what he couldn't change and instead focused on the current problem. Yet the current situation wasn't going the way he would've liked either.

"On the surface. I do not know if the Chameleon has been completely removed from his body. It has been a long time since a Healing had been done on a Chameleon, Your Majesty. I cannot be sure of its extent." She explained wearily.

"Thus he cannot be moved today?" Tauristrander still phrased it as a question in hopes that Allaysia would disagree. No such luck.

"He cannot be moved for at least a week, for that's how long a person treated with saberbane would normally require to recover from a Chameleon. I need to be certain before allowing him to come in contact with the royal family."

"I see," the king murmured in disappointment. _How inconvenient for the Asgardian to catch a Chameleon at this time_.

He turned back to Allaysia, concern marked by tenderness filling his voice. "You need to be back in bed and getting more rest, Al. That is an order.

Allaysia couldn't resist a smile. "Yes, Your Majesty."

Satisfied that she would rest more, Tauristrander soon left.

Allaysia didn't move from her seat except to turn her head toward one corner of the room.

"I know you're here, Asgardian. Drop your little magic tricks and show yourself." She called out, but without much real venom behind her words.

Loki appeared, gliding towards her from the direction she was looking at. A smirk hovered around his lips.

"Ah, Allaysia dear, you are getting to know me better and better. I am flattered." He reached her but didn't stop. Instead, he bent down and scooped her into his arms.

Allaysia instinctively grabbed his shoulder for support, too surprised at his action to react. They were already down the hall when she gave a sudden yelp.

"Put me down! What do you think you are doing, Asgardian." She didn't dare to struggle too violently in case he dropped her, but her voice dripped with cold indignation.

Strong arms held her tightly as Loki seemed unaffected by her writhing body. He did look at her reproachingly as he complained in his smooth silky voice, "You had called me by my name last night, Allaysia dear."

Seeing her reddened face and renewed struggle, Loki quickly added, "I'm taking you to your bed chamber. Did you not promise the king that you would rest? I do not think you have the strength to crawl from that chair to your bed. I am simply being nice by giving you a hand"

Allaysia fell silent and limp against Loki's chest. She _was_ really tired.

She then shot an accusatory look at Loki, the reason behind her exhausion. _Why does he look so fit and vigorous and..._not tired _while she could barely move?_

Loki took in her reactions with an amused expression. He nudged open her chamber's door and placed her gently on the bed.

Still bending over her, Loki reached out to tuck a strand of her golden hair behind her ear. Allaysia stared into those sharp green eyes now softened by something she couldn't understand but was enthralled by.

He whispered softly in a low voice, "Are you really not going to acknowledge what we shared last night, Allaysia dear?"

Loki straightened up and walked out of the room before Allaysia could find her voice to correct him. _They didn't share _anything_ last night except the Healing process! Yes it was a little, well, a lot more intimate than normal, but that didn't mean anything on neither part. How dare he imply something more, that ignorant, self-important Asgardian!_

Allaysia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried to clear her mind for sleep, but her thoughts kept circling back to how it had felt to be tightly held in Loki's arms last night, how well her body had fitted to his, how his breath blew intimately on her neck...

Loki stood in the doorway watching the Healer drift off to sleep. His smirk twisted into a wicked grin. _It was almost time to close the trap and reel in the prey._

* * *

"Loki, what are you doing?" Allaysia exclaimed exasperatedly.

Loki had flat out refused to respond to the name "Asgardian" anymore. Thus, she had to call him by his name if she were to get his attention, something that she needed very much at this moment.

Loki looked up innocently as he moved her pillows and blankets on her bed to one side and laid down his own on the other. "I'm simply moving my things."

He then smirked slowly and suggestively while his voice dropped a notch. "Unless you would rather have me share yours tonight."

"No, that's not what I meant! Why are you moving your things onto my bed? You are not sleeping here." Allaysia gathered up his blankets and pillows.

She had woken up only a few hours ago because her stomach was twisted in hunger. A quick but large meal, some quality time spent in the herb room and checking the other patients in her house, and she was ready to turn in for bed again as night fell.

Only to find Loki standing outside of her room, carrying his sheets and pillow.

Allaysia gave a small internal sigh. She was too tired for his plays and oddities right now.

Loki shrugged and leaned against the bedpost, letting her take his things. He spoke slowly, "I do not believe that the furnace in my room has been fixed, but I do believe that all the other rooms are full of other patients. However, I suppose now that I'm no longer in the grip of a fever, there really is no danger of me sleeping in the freezing cold. Or I could share a bed with another patient. After all, I cannot infect anyone with the Chameleon anymore, right?"

His smirk grew as Allaysia dropped his blanket and pillow back on her bed. It froze when she picked up hers instead.

"Where are you going?" he moved quickly, blocking her exit from the room.

"Finding an empty bed in another room. You are right. I don't know yet if the Chameleon in you is completely gone or not. Thus, I cannot allow you to expose yourself to the cold or to other patients." She nimbly, albeit slower than usual, sidestepped him and moved out the door.

"However," she continued, "I will not share a bed with you. So _you_ can have my chamber and _I_ will sleep in another patient's room. I do believe Isbelia had mentioned that there was an empty bed in her room."

Isbelia had indeed said that, with her eyelashes all fluttery and voice all sultry, to Loki. Allaysia had simply walked into the room at the time and overheard the comment. How useful it had become right now!

Loki watched as Allaysia disappeared behind the bend in the hallway, his green eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted into a frustrated snarl. _She hasn't quite fallen yet, and time was running out._


	5. Chapter 5

"Hands off, Loki. Unless you want another intimate contact with the floor." Allaysia tried to keep her voice cool despite the fluttering unease she felt in her stomach.

Loki had again came up behind her while she was minding the stove and wrapped his arms around her waist. She refused to acknowledge that her reaction had been out of fear rather than the former disgust she had felt.

Fear that she was becoming all too comfortable in his embrace. Fear that he was stirring up too much unknown inside of her. Fear that she was...

"Don't be so shy, Allaysia dear. After all, we've already had such _intimate contact_ that night." Loki's voice was low and silky next to her ear. Soft and sexy, but loud enough for anyone in the otherwise quiet room to hear.

A gasp sounded by the door.

Allaysia quickly looked up to see Isbelia, a pretty dark-haired woman, staring at them both in shock and slight confusion. "But aren't you...the King…" She murmured as if to herself, but both Allaysia and Loki heard.

_Oh great_. Before Allaysia could call out an explanation, _something_, Isbelia had already turned and ran down the hall with a mumbling "Excuse me." No doubt she would relate what she had seen to anyone and everyone in the house, embellishing here and there as she went along.

"Really, thank you, Loki. For making my life worse." Allaysia turned, not even bothering to move out of Loki's arms, and placed a hand over her closed eyes.

Loki tightened his grip and pulled her closer, placing his forehead against hers.

"I thought that night had meant something more to you. It certain did for me." His voice was filled with the right balance of hurt and hope that tugged at her heart. Had Allaysia looked into his face then, she would have seen amusement and calculation flashing in those green eyes.

But she didn't open her eyes or remove her hand. Her response was silent and her body was stiff. She felt a small sigh flutter next to her ear before Loki broke the embrace and left the room.

_What the hell was that?_ Allaysia remained frozen as her mind fumbled to grasp the implications of what had just happened. She couldn't think past the roaring noise her rapid heartbeat was making in her ear. _He...she...what, no!_

* * *

Allaysia turned again in her bed, falling in and out of sleep fitfully. Her mind kept replaying what had happened this morning, in her waking consciousness and dreaming subconsciousness. It annoyed her that she couldn't chalk it up to Loki's usual mischief this time. It disturbed her that she didn't _want_ to.

Suddenly she woke with a start, for no reason but a sense of something amiss.

Then she smelled the smoke.

It was seeping into the room from the bottom of the closed door, tendril fingers of hungry spirits reaching for her.

Allaysia quickly jumped off the bed in her nightdress. She opened the door and promptly choked on smoke-filled air pouring in from the hallway.

She shut the door, took a deep breath in the relatively fresh air of her room, and ran down the hallway, opening doors and shouting to the patients, "Fire! There's a fire! Everyone get out now!"

Hazy smoke stung her eyes and she felt her vision waver.

Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hallway towards the main door. Allaysia stumbled and was pulled along in her lightheaded state. It wasn't until she dragged in lungful of fresh air outside that she realized how much smoke she had inhaled earlier.

"Allaysia, are you alright?" A familiar voice sounded next to her.

Realizing that it was Loki who pulled her out of the building, Allaysia couldn't help but grimace on the inside. _A debt to an Asgardian. Great. On top of unsorted feelings. Even better._

Feeling her mind thinking clearly again, Allaysia surveyed the scene and noted with relief that the patients whose room she had barged into were all safely outside. That leaves those in the other wing of the house, whom she hadn't warned yet, still inside.

The fire seemed to have originated from that wing. Moreover, the windows in rooms were magically locked to prevent any contamination to and from the outside. The only escape would be down the hallway and out through the main door. The hallway that would be ablaze with fire.

A clear grimace on her face, Allaysia closed her eyes momentarily and pulled on a layer of Healer's protection around her. This should keep her from the worst of the injuries. At least for a while. She began walking back toward the house.

"Are you mad?" An incredulous exclamation sounded at the same moment as Allaysia felt her arm being grabbed. Again.

She jerked her arm free without turning her head back. "I need to get others out, Loki. They are my patients." And hence her responsibility. "Stay out here."

Ripping off a sleeve to wrap around her nose and mouth, Allaysia walked back into the inferno that was consuming her house. The doorway to the west wing was blocked by a chunk of fallen, fiery wood. Allaysia kicked it aside without a pause, trusting in the Healer's magic. She raced down the hallway.

The fire was spreading rapidly along the wooden ceilings and walls. Burning doors blocked each room. Allaysia gritted her teeth and body slammed into the first door. It fell away under the force, revealing a smoke filled room and a crying boy sitting by the wall. His raspy, choking whimpers were barely audible above the roar of the fire.

"Get out!" Her voice was muffled by the sleeve over her mouth. The boy appeared to be lost in his own miserable world and didn't respond.

Allaysia grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him out the door, pausing only to layer a Healer's protection over him before shoving him towards the exit doorway.

_One down. Three more to go. _

The next room held an elderly but spry woman who had already been dosing herself with water in preparation to knock down the door herself when Allaysia bursted in. She assured Allaysia that she would be able to make it outside now that the aflame door no longer blocked her way.

Fire licked hungrily at the earthen floor, dancing around but never too far from her. Although Allaysia was protected by magic, she could feel the suffocating heat from the roaring flames consuming the world around her. She grimaced and tucked the ripped sleeve more tightly around her nose and mouth.

Then she felt it, the intense, startling heat at her ankle. The edge of her robe had caught on fire. The protection could only last so long. The adrenaline was still pumping but starting wane. _Time was running out._ Her power was draining fast from the extra amount she had to use on the first two patients. _Get a move on it, Allaysia_.

Yet problem arrived in the next room. A young woman recovering from a serious incident with an exotic poison, the patient could barely get out of the bed yesterday. Breaking down the door, Allaysia saw that the young woman was on the floor, struggling to stand up, her face frightened yet determined. She looked up in almost comical relief when she saw Allaysia in the open doorway.

Helping the young woman out of the room and placing a protection over her, Allaysia was torn. Clearly, the young woman needed help to the main door. Yet there was one more room with one more patient. The man whom Allaysia vaguely suspected had started the fire.

During her indecision, a figure strode out from the flame toward her. Allaysia gaped as Loki appeared in front of her. The edges of his brushed back black hair and swirling clothes sizzled, but overall he appeared to be protected by some Asgardian magic.

"What on Heilenheim are you doing in here? I told you to stay outside!" She growled as she dragged his head down by his collar.

Loki had the nerve to grin devilishly and pat her on the head. "I came to rescue you, of course, Allaysia dear. Now you shall take this young lady - who is about to faint, it seems - outside, while I will bring the last patient to you."

Allaysia grabbed him by his arm before he could move off. "No! I will not allow that!" She breathed, refusing to consider why her first instinct was to get him out of danger.

She continued in a more rational voice, "Be reasonable, Loki. You could be killed, saving someone you don't even know. I know that it wouldn't be worthwhile to you. Help this woman outside and it shall be your good deed of the day."

Loki looked surprised and hurt at her words. "I did not know that you hold me in such low opinion. If you want to be reasonable, then take a look at yourself and know you should get outside immediately."

He gestured to her robe, already burned to her knees with little fires flickering further up. Her exposed skin was scorched red in several places. The protection was wearing very thin and fading with each moment, not only on Allaysia but also on the young woman whose layer of magic drew its power from Allaysia.

Loki gently cradled Allaysia's face with both hands, taking in the conflict and fear in her liquid gold eyes. "Have faith in me, Allaysia dear. And remember, I had been very sincere this morning."

Allaysia was momentarily mesmerized by the red and gold flames dancing in the green backdrop of Loki's eyes. A part of her stubbornly held on to that as the reason why she didn't move when Loki lowered his head and pressed his lips lightly against hers.

Giving her a push towards the other end of the hallway, Loki smirked in that secretive, seductive, and utterly smug way of his. Without a backward glance, he sauntered toward the last room down the hall, his cloak swishing and crackling in the fire.

His low and smooth voice, unaffected by the smoke, trailed behind."His name is Urecilis, I believe? The man who also had the fortune of having a Chameleon."

The young woman suddenly dropped to the floor. She had finally reached her limit and fainted. Allaysia gritted her teeth, attributed the watering of her eyes to the smoke, and pulled the unconscious young woman up. Dragging her by the waist, Allaysia moved as fast as she could towards the doorway.

She ignored the searing paining of hungry flames finally reaching her unprotected bare skin. She ignored the aching sadness of watching her home fall and crumble around her. She ignored the gnawing hole inside that screamed one name. _His name_.

Fresh, cool air hit her face as she stumbled in the last few steps out the door. Hands caught her as she was lifted and carried away from the blazing house. Voices murmured and she felt a cool, soothing sensation wash over her entire body, easing the internal flames on her nerves.

Allaysia wanted to shout, scream at them, that Loki was still in there._ In the fire._ And Urecilis. They need to save them! _Save him_.

Words of "magical fire", "Flamemaker", "deranged", "need a Water Sprite" drifted around her but they didn't make sense. Nothing made sense except for her desperate need to get Loki out of the flaming, crumbling house.

A sudden commotion near the doorway grabbed her attention. A man was slowly walking out. Allaysia strained to see his face, heart in throat.

It was Urecilis. _The deranged Flamemaker._ Loki had kept his promise of saving her last patient.

Allaysia awkwardly and painfully stood up, craning her neck to see if another emerged behind Urecilis. _The man with the mischievous smirk and silky voice._

Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. No one, not even a shadow came out behind Urecilis. _Perhaps he was taking a little while._

An ominous boom sounded and everyone watched in horror as one wing of the house collapsed in a cloud of black smoke, visible in the star-light night. Flames shot up momentarily, reaching for the sky in a valiant but defiant attempt to take down the heavenly ceiling.

It was the west wing that had collapsed. _Where Loki was. Where Loki is. Where's the Water Sprite? We need to find him _now_. We need to get him out. We need to…I need to..._

Allaysia felt the gnawing hole expand and consume her conscious.

_I need to tell him that I love_ _him_.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update this time! I had a block/laziness that put me off writing for a couple of days. Although I never respond, I do read (several times actually..._) your reviews and always feel warm and fuzzy afterwards. **

**Thanks tons to everyone for your support, whether it's just by a simple click of adding my story to your alert list or actually putting in a few words in a review! =]**


	6. Chapter 6

"Ughmm." Allaysia groaned as her eyelids fluttered in protest against the stiffness in her body.

"I know you're awake, Allaysia dear. Open your eyes." A familiar low, smooth voice sounded right now to her ear.

Her eyes snapped open, swirling golden surprise and relief at the pair of emerald eyes flashing playfully in front of her.

"Loki!" Allaysia breathed out as her hands moved on their own accord to his face. She scanned him for signs of injury, not believing that he could have survived the fire unscathed.

Loki simply grinned and allowed her to hold his face.

"How?" She let go of him and struggled to sit up in the bed. A hiss of pain stopped her efforts as her muscles and joints protested furiously.

Chuckling softly, Loki moved closer and wrapped an arm behind and around her waist. With a gentle lift, he helped her to sit up and lean against the wall.

He sat down on the side of the bed and held out a bowl of very familiar liquid.

Allaysia grinned as he placed a spoonful near her mouth. Shared memories reflected in both of their eyes. Neither foresaw how quickly the roles were reversed.

She opened her mouth obediently and Loki fed her the nourishing liquid. _It tasted sweeter than usual._

"Is she awake?" The young king bursted in with rather undignified haste. And stopped at the strangely intimate atmosphere between Loki and Allaysia.

Loki simply lifted a brow at the intrusion. Allaysia choked.

She grunted in pain as each wrack of her body caused her muscles to scream.

Loki pulled her close into his arms, gently but firmly hold her while she calmed down. With a fuming glare boring into his back, Loki lazily drawled a reply to Tauristrander, "Even if Allaysia weren't awake, Your Majesty's entrance would surely have wakened her." The glare turned into daggers.

"Allaysia, I'm glad that you're finally awake," Tauristrander decided to ignore Loki - his comment and his presence. Though, he made sure to pull the two apart before also taking a seat on the bed.

Tauristrander scanned her face, noting the dark circles around her eyes and the tight lines around the corners of her lips.

"Your Majesty," Allaysia quietly reminded the young king of his position.

Tauristrander frowned. Loki smirked.

"What happened to me?" She asked, truly disturbed by the condition of her body. It was as if she had spent almost all of her powers Healing someone. Her body was sore in every imaginable places and she felt weak to her core.

"I'm not quite sure." Tauristrander began slowly, frowning. "You dropped unconscious in the midst of everything and wouldn't wake up. Other Healers tell me that you seemed to be using your powers continuously, to an unidentifiable source." He scowled darkly at Loki. "It may have something to do with the layer of protection around this Asgardian when he was found under the rubbles. It allowed him to survive with minor injuries."

Allaysia's eyes widened in surprise. During the fire, she didn't place any protection on Loki because she had assumed that he would be able to use his Asgardian magic.

As she studied that face full of sharp angles, she saw the usual amusement and a glimmer of secrets in those gem-like eyes. _What had really happened that night?_

* * *

"Loki!" Allaysia exclaimed in shock as cold wetness slithered down the back of her neck.

They were hauling water from the stream nearby her garden, trying to save the few plants that survived from the fire. Though it was far from the temporary rooms that Tauristrander allocated for them in the palace, the two of them still made the trip everyday, salvaging whatever they could from the ashes.

Of course, Loki never missed a chance for some mischief.

She smothered a laughter and turned around. _Naturally_, her arms also swung around, releasing the content in her hands.

Loki yelped as a bucketful of cold stream water splatted him face-on. _Pay back._ Allaysia mimicked his smirk.

Loki smirked back, much more devastatingly so, and scooped up a handful of water. He threw it straight to her face.

Now laughing openly, Allaysia splashed up more water in return. Soon enough, the two of them were knee deep in the stream, playing like little children.

Bells of laughter echoed up towards the heavens above. Whose heart fluttered and opened in that beautiful afternoon?

"Achoo!"

"Are you cold, Allaysia dear?" Loki hooked an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close as they walked back to the royal castle. "Can't have you becoming ill."

She rolled her eyes at him, but moved closer to his warm body. "If I do become sick, I know _exactly_ who to blame."

"Absolutely mine, of course." In a grave tone, Loki sounded almost serious.

Allaysia bursted out laughing.

He tried to look hurt but ended up grinning with her.

After the fire, the two of them often passed days like this. Getting water from the stream, rebuilding parts of her garden that was destroyed, just spending time together and laughing.

Allaysia laughed a lot when she was with Loki. Probably more than she had laughed in her whole life before she met him. She could feel the invisible thread tugging at her heart, trapped by those glittering, secretive green eyes.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, Loki?" Allaysia carefully placed her feet one in front of another.

"Don't you trust me, my dear Allaysia?" Loki held both of her hands and slowly led her into the room.

Even though her eyes were closed, she knew that he would be smirking in that charming, secretive way of his. She didn't know what to expect of this "surprise" that he had sprung on her so suddenly, although a vague sense of anticipation stirred in the depth of her mind.

Loki stopped, still holding on to one of her hands. "Open you eyes." His silk soft voice whispered seductively next to her ear.

Her eyelids fluttered and opened slowly, golden eyes widened as they drank in the sight. Her room was filled with purple flowers. Flickering purple light sparks danced above the open petals like playful fairies. A slightly sweet fragrance enveloped them like a soft blanket. The only light in the room came from the flowers.

"Oh my," She breathed out, couldn't believe what Loki had done. "Did you take all the purple flowers from the forest? There's probably a law against it, you know."

Loki raised a brow and gave a small sigh. "Allaysia dear, your response is not exactly what I had hoped for. Perhaps you could try to be a little more romantic?"

Allaysia bursted out laughing. Then she quickly straightened her face and managed an expression of tearful delight. Clearing her throat, she tried again in a breathy voice. "Oh my heavenly goodness, Loki dar-ling! You did this for me? I am so touched! My heart is all fluttery and such."

A low, velvety chuckle from Loki. "I must say, that reaction doesn't suite you very well."

His expression suddenly turned serious, the most serious she had ever seen. Even the ever-present mocking dancing in his eyes shrank back into only a small, dim flicker. Allaysia felt a tingle of nerve shiver down her back.

"Allaysia," Loki began in a intimately low voice. "As short as we have known each other, I feel this…" He fumbled slightly for the right word. "This connection between us. I can't stop thinking about you. Your smiles, your laughs, and your eye-rollings. So, here I am." From seemingly nowhere, he pulled out a Jinfleur, its golden petals glimmered and winked even in the dim-lit room.

A small gasp from Allaysia.

Jinfleur, the flower that bloom only once in a lifetime. The delicate flower that survives storms and hardships. The flower used in the most solemn marriage proposals.

"Would you marry me, Allaysia dear?"

For once, his voice no longer had the usual smug and confident tone. Allaysia's heart melted at that note of uncertainty and nervousness.

She smiled, a brilliant smile that casted a beautiful glow about her.

"Yes. Yes, Loki. Yes!" Tinkling with unmistaken joy, laughter bubbled out of her and filled the entire room.

Loki smiled and placed a kiss in the palms of both of her hands. Without taking his eyes off of hers, he pulled her close and bent his head.

Allaysia's eyelids fluttered close, but she opened them again. She wanted to see those brilliant, enthralling green eyes as they kissed. She wanted to imprint those eyes and this moment in her memory.

Her arms went around his neck. He deepened the kiss. Sparks shot up from the flowers, dancing like flames and heating up the room.

He picked her up without breaking the kiss and carried her to the bed. She gave him her unspoken permission.

The night was beautiful, and still young. Dim purple light leaked out of the windows, but otherwise, darkness enveloped the two lovers in her embrace.


End file.
